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(Greek and Turkish Jewish Music) London |
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Troia Nova (New Troy) aims to express ancient and modern diasporas in music. They recently contributed to a BBC World Service series on the early C20 population exchange between Greece and Turkey and are at present working on the under-researched but rich contribution of the Romaniote Jews to Greek culture. Today's set includes Yehme Levovi (My Heart Groans') - a poem by Israel Ben-Moshe Najara (1555 - 1625) as sung in the Maftirim tradition to music by Ottoman composer Neyzen Yusuf Pasha (1821-1884). This tradition began in the 17th century Edirne and represents a remarkable encounter between the Sephardic synagogue and the Mevlevi dervishes. The final piece pays homage to the complex history of Crete whose Jewish history is captured in the writing of artist, novelist, former director of the Jewish Museum of Athens and restorer of the Etz Hayyim synagogue in Hania, Nikos Stavroulakis, to whom it is dedicated. Troia Nova are: Merit Ariane Stephanos (vocals), Lennie Charles (frame drums), Jonathan Mears (Cretan laouto), Paul Tkachenko (ud, mandolin, lutes), Chaz Whittaker (darabuka), Chris Williams (saz, lavta, Cretan lyra), Naomi Wright (cello). To book this band email jewishmusic@jmi.org.uk
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